Article feeding and packaging mechanism



Feb. 1, 1938. J. N. FRANCIS 2,106,975

ARTICLE FEEDING AND. PACKAGING MECHANISM v Filed Sept. 18, 1934 PatentedFeb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE FEEDING AND PACKAGINGMECHANISM Application September 18, 1934, Serial No. 744,545

7 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for feedingand packaging articles asfrom a machine in which the articles are made, so as to'largelyeliminate the necessity of handy operations. More particularlythe'invention has been developed for the feeding andpackaging ofcylindrical'articles, especially such as are-of light weight, as, forexample, cylindrical paper tube containers intended to be used in thepackaging of coin. While not restricted to such use, it will be morefully described'in connection with amachine for forming'such coincontainers illustrated in my Patent No. 1,690,287 granted November 6,l928'for Meth- 0d and machine for making paper tubes.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may behad to the accompanying drawing inwhich Figure 1 is a fragmentary endelevation of'a portion of a coin .wrapper forming machine-illus- 0trated in my patent hereinbefore mentioned,

showing the mechanism of this invention attachedthereto, the feedingtrough or chute being shown in section.

Figure 2 is aside elevationoi the same.

Figure 3 is-a fragmentary top plan of the same.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective showing the end of the packagingchute and the carton in which the articles are to be packaged.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5-5 I of Figure 3-, but drawnto a larger scale.

Figure 6 is a detail section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In Figures 1, 2, and 3 at I is indicated a portionof theframe. of thepaper tube forming machine illustrated in my PatentNo. 1,690,287 and at2 in Figure 1 is indicated a rotary shaft journaled insaid frame, thisshaft corresponding to theshaftnumbered 34am Figure 6 in the patent. Tothisframeis secured a supplemental supporting frame 3, this supplementalframe being shown: as secured to the frame I as by the screws 4. Thisframe has journaled crosswise therein a. shaft: 5 on, which is secured abevel pinion 6 and two gears I and 8. The gear-1. is in posi tiontomesh,wlth a gear 9 corresponding to the gear 341 shown in my'patent andwhich is se cured to the shaft 2'. The gear-B meshes with a gearllliournaled on the shaft H, but arranged tc be clamped thereto by meansshown best in Figure-6. Thegear l0 isprovided with a hub 12 having a,bore l3- for the reception of the shaft H, this bore being provided witha lateral enlargement l4 within which ispositioned-a friction shoe l5.This shoieimaybe formed of leather; or.- any other suitable material,and is arranged to be pressed into frictional engagement with the shafti l as by means of the set screw [6 threaded through the hub l2 andbearing at its inner end against the shoe 15. This provides a drivingconnection between the gear Ill and the shaft H which can slip, shouldthe parts intended to be driven from the shaft H offerundue resistance.It also permits easy angular adjustment of the wheel to time it with thedischarge of tubes from the forming machine.

The shaft H carries outwardly of the frame 3 a pinion H! which may bepinned thereto and which meshes witha ring gear 24 secured to a wheel11. This wheel I! is journaled on a shaft l8, one end of which extendsinto the frame member 3, and the other end of which is held in a bracketsecuredas by-a screw 2| to frame member 3. This wheel I! is arrangedwith a plane of rotation substantially axially disposed relative to anopen topped chute or trough member 22, the end of which next to thewheel being shown as supported by an arm 23 extending from the bracket20. V

The wheel I! as shown is provided with a pair of parallel spaced sets ofperipheral teeth 25, the teeth of each set being arranged oppositelydisposed to each other so as to define between them spaces such as 26within which may be placed articles to be fed and packaged, as, forexample,

the paper tubes such as 21. These tubes as they r are formed by themachine are ejected onto an endless conveyor 30 shown in Figure '1 ascomprising a belt 32 extending over the end rollers 33 and 34. One ofthese rollers such as 34 is provided with a pulley 35. over which a belt36 passes. This belt leads about a pulley 31 on a shaft 38 which alsocarries a beveled pinion 39 meshing with the pinion 6. Thus the belt 30is driven at a relatively rapid speed so that as the articles aredelivered thereto from the machine they are quickly transferred endwiseand projected into the space between adjacent pairs of teeth 25 onthewheel ll.

In order to make sure that these articles are positioned properlylocatediendwise so as to de liver on rotation of the wheel to the chute22, guiding and positioning means have been illus trated. Such meanscomprises an abutment plate 45 which is arcuate to follow the curvatureof the toothed periphery of the wheel ll, this-plate e:';-

chute 22 so that as the articles 21 are initially projected between theteeth of the wheel, they impinge on the plate 45 as shown in dottedlines in Figure 3, whereupon as the wheel I! is rotated they are broughtback to proper endwise position to enter the open end of the chute 22.Cooperating with the plate 45 is shown a second arcuate plate 46positioned on the opposite side of the wheel in position to preventexcessive rebound of the articles as they strike the plate 45. These twoplates cooperate to position the articles properly lengthwise, bothconverging at their lower ends to the sides of the chute.

The bottom wall of the chute has an extension 50 at its entering end, asshown best in Figures 3 and 5, provided with fingers 5| which extendbetween and on either side of the sets of teeth 25 to form supportingelements to receive the articles 21 as they are lowered thereonto byrotation of the wheel [1, and in order to insure the discharge of thesearticles into the mouth of the chute, the lower face of each of theteeth 25 on the discharge side of the wheel is formed convexed as at 53so as to act as a cam to force the articles onto the chute as the wheelI! is rotated. The upper side of'each of the teeth on this side of thewheel is preferably concave as at 54 to form a receptacle to retain thearticles in position until they are lowered onto the chute extension 50.

As shown the chute 22 has its outer end formed to be inserted into thecarton 60 in which the articles are to be packaged and in order tofacilitate the insertion of the chute, its wall portions may be cut awayon each side as at 6| and 62,

leaving the bottom wall 63 extended so as to be.

easily insertable in the carton. Thus the articles to be packaged arefed in through the chute into the carton and as the portion of the chuteextending thereinto becomes filled to the open end of the carton, thetop flap 65 may be lowered into the chute, thus holding the articlestherein while the carton with the contents may be slipped ofi from theend of the chute. The side wall 62 of the chute is cut away to asubstantial extent further than the opposite side wall which permits thehands of the operator to be inserted freely when the carton is nearlywithdrawn so as to aid in insuring the complete filling of the carton asit is withdrawn.

In order to facilitate the complete filling of the carton, the articleshown being of small heightwise dimension relative to the carton andelongated to nearly the width of the chute, means may be provided forpreventing or impeding reverse motion of the articles in the chute andalso to guide those coming in after the lower portion of the chute hasbeen substantially filled, into superposed relation thereto. As shownthis means consists of a baffle plate 10 of angular form which is shownas pivoted at 1| to the upper portion of the chute side walls near theirentering end. It hangs down freely by gravity into the chute and is ofsufiicient length so that the articles may pass easily toward thecarton, but the plate prevents or impedes reverse direction movement ofthe articles. The portion 13 of the plate extends upwardly inclinedtoward the carton end of the chute, thus acting to guide articles whichare pushed therepast' after the chute has become partially filled,toward the upper portion of the chute, thus to permit the articles to befed in until the carton is full to the top of the chute. The carton maythen be withdrawn and the top fiap .65 pushed down, after which thecarton may beentirely withdrawn in filled condition from the chute. Theplate may be lifted to permit removal of any articles which may becomecaught or jammed at the entrance to the chute.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of this invention, itshould be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope ofthis invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute, a wheelhaving a plane of rotation substantially in the axis of said chute andprojecting above the bottom of said chute, said wheel having peripheralteeth defining between them article receiving spaces from which articlesare fed to said chute as said wheel is rotated, means for feedingarticles successively into said spaces above the bottom of said chute ina direction transverse to the plane of rotation of said wheel, anabutment on one side of said wheel forming a stop against which thearticles so fed may impinge, and inclined toward said wheel adjacent tosaid chute, means for rotating said wheel, and means cooperating withsaid abutment on the other side of said wheel to position said articleslaterally of said wheel.

2. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute, a wheelhaving a plane of rotation substantially in the axis of said chute andprojecting above the bottom of said chute, said wheel having peripheralteeth defining between them article-receiving spaces from which articlesare fed to said chute as said wheel is rotated, means for feedingarticles successively into said spaces above the bottom of said chute ina direction transverse to the plane of rotation of said wheel, anabutment on one side of said wheel forming a stop against which thearticles so fed may impinge, and means for rotating said wheel, saidabutment being spaced from said wheel where articles are fed thereto andconverging toward said Wheel adjacent to said chute.

3. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute, a wheelhaving a plane of rotation substantially in the axis of said chute andprojecting above the bottom of said chute, said wheel having peripheralteeth defining between them article-receiving spaces from which articlesare fedto said chute as said wheel is rotated, means for feedingarticles successively into said spaces above the bottom of said chute ina direction transverse to the plane of rotation of said wheel, anabutment on one side of said wheel forming a stop against which thearticles so fed may inpinge, means for rotating said wheel, saidabutment being spaced from said wheel where articles are fed thereto andconverging toward said wheel adjacent to said chute, and a stationaryguide member on the opposite side of said wheel from said abutmentcooperating with said abutment to position the articles laterally asthey enter said chute.

4. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute shaped toenter and support a carton for packaging articles, means for feedingarticles of small heightwise dimension relative to said cartonsuccessively along the bottom of said chute into said carton, and aplatehinged to the upper portion of said chute and free to swing on its hingeaxis and inclined downwardly and in the direction of passage of articlestherein toward said carton, said plate having an upward extension fromits lower portion inclined toward said carton in position to direct saidarticles into said carton in superposed relation.

5. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a, chute shaped tosupport a carton for packaging articles, means for feeding articles ofsmall heightwise dimension relative to said carton and to the depth ofsaid chute successively along the bottom of said chute into said carton,and an obstruction in the upper portion of said chute and normallydepending therein to a position adjacent to its base but spacedtherefrom by an amount sufiicient to permit the passage of a singlelayer of said articles therebeneath.

6. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute shaped tosupport a carton for packaging elongated articles arranged laterally ofthe chute and of small heightwise dimension relative to said carton andto the depth of said chute, means for feeding said articles successivelyalong the bottom of the chute into said carton, and guide means in saidchute extending from a position adjacent to said base but spacedtherefrom sufficient for the passage of a single layer of articlestherebeneath and inclined upwardly in the direction of feed and with thelower face of which said articles may engage to direct said articlesinto superposed relation into said carton until said carton issubstantially filled.

7. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a chute shaped tosupport a carton for packaging elongated articles arranged laterally ofthe chute and of small heightwise dimension relative to said carton andto the depth of said chute, means for feeding said articles along saidchute, and a guide plate in said chute depending in said chute to aposition adjacent to the bottom thereof but normally spaced therefromsufiicient to allow said articles in a single layer to pass therebeneathand obstructing said chute above said space against passage of thearticles, the lower face of said guide plate being inclined upwardly inthe direction of feed to direct said articles into superposed relationin said carton until said carton is substantially filled.

JOSEPH N. FRANCIS.

